Author of more than 100 books on Srouta
Saiva Siddhanta and allied subjects

Sri
Mudigonda Nagalinga Sastry garu (1876-1948 AD) was the great
exponent of the Srouta Sivadwaita philosophy in the 20th century.
He was born in AD 1876 in Dhata Nama Samvatsara, Chaitra Suddha
Navami, Monday in Tatikonda village, 8 Kms from Guntur, near
the river Krishna in Guntur District of Andhra Pradesh. His
parents are Aghoranaradhya, son of Nagalingaradhya and Jwalamba,
sister of Mukti Lingaradhya of Etamukkala village in Krishna
District belonging to Mulugu Vemanaradhya Vamsam. Nagalinga
Sastry is the second son, the first son being Naga Mallikharjunaradhya
and third son Ramaling Sastry, who were all scholars in Vedas,
Agama Sastras, Tarka, Mimamsa, Vyakarana, Ayurveda and Jyothisha
Sastras and well verse in installing Siva Lingas in Temples,
his sister's name is Mallikamba. He had his education for
sometime under his uncle Sri Mallampalli Veeresalingaradhya
of Pamidimukkala village of Krishna District. He left for
Srikalahasti at the age of 15 and read Paanini Vyakaranam
under Srinivas Sastrygal, respected by Sanskrit scholars in
those days as Apara Patanjali. At the age of 19, he went to
Nadukkaveri in Tamilnadu and read Tarka, Mimamsa, Nilakanta,
Sankara, Ramanuja and Madhwa Bhashyams under Srinivas Sastrygal,
sage and a great Saivite scholar well versed in Appayya Dikshitar
and Nilakanta's Saiva philosophy. He was considered as authority
in those days in Sanskrit Pada, Vakya Pramanams and author
of severl authoritative texts on Saiva Siddhanta in Sanskrit
and Tamil and editor of Brahma Vidya Patrika. Sri Nagalinga
Sastry garu, discussed in detail with his guru the three Bhashyams
cited above andall the twenty eight Saivagamas and won laurels
from him. At that age only, he wrote a book in Sanskrit called
Raksha Rudraksha Chandra Martandam, eulogizing the greatness
and power of Rudraks and its wearing on one's body in Nagaralipi
i.e. Tamili script and dedicated the book to his guru, who
agreed with him that the Agama Sastras are equal to Vedas
in all respects but notlower and should be respected and followed
by all Sistas or scholars. It is stated that Sri Srinivasa
Sastrygal gave him the Nilakanta Bhashyam available with hin
on Palm leaves, exhorting him that it is the oldestand most
authentic Bhashyam on Saiva Siddhanta followed by all from
times immemorial and that it is upto him to propagate the
Bhashyam by writing a suitable commentary thereon.

He
started printing, publishing and distribution of the magazine
called "Srouta Saiva Prakasica" in Telugu and Sanskrit, projecting
the Saiva Siddhanta stated in the Vedas and translated Appayya
Dikshitar's books on Saiva Siddhanta like (i) Brahma Tarkasthawam,
and (ii) Bharata, (iii) Ramayana, (iv) Chaturveda Tatparya
sangrahams, (v) Siva Karnamrutam and (vi) Pancharatnastuthi,
by writing a detailed commentary on them in Sanskrit, explaining
the meanings in Telugu. He wrote during this period five books
in Sanskrit with Telugu and Sanskrit commentaries. They are
- (1) Saiva Siddhanta Sangraha, (2) Siva Aeva Karanam, (3)
Sroutamevahi Saiva Chihnavi, (4) Sroutamevahi Dharanam, Lingasya,
and (5) Sista Sarveh Sivam Prapannah. All these books were
printed in Srouta Saiva prakasika between 1900-1903. From
1904 till 1916, besides propagating and writing various books
on Saiva Siddhanta, visited various places and taken part
in Saiva Siddhanta and Bhashya discussions clearing doubts.
All the above five books are now translated into English and
printed and published by Siva Jnana Lahari (Regd.).

During
the period from 1916 till his death in 1948, he printed, published
and distributed Magazines on Saiva Siddhanta from Tenali under
the names of "Saiva Rahasya Bodhini"- 1928-31 and "Jnana Vahini"-
1933 and projected in detail the greatness of Siva and Saiva
Siddhanta, stated in the Vedas emphasising that it is the
oldest religion of the world. He wrote extensively on the
Vedic authority for Sivalinga puja, and on various customs
followed by Saivites including Anthyesti or ceremonies performed
for the departed souls and clearing the doubts raised as regards
the customs followed by Saivites, like Bhasma Dharana, Rudraksha
Dharana and Linga Dharana even at the time of "Asowchams"
in their families. He discussed at length, the religious
concepts contained in the Dwaita, Adwaita and Visista Adwaita
philosophies and established authoritatively that the ways
followed by the Dwaita and Adwaita philosophers would lead
the Mumukshu or seeker of salvation nowhere and pointed out
the inconsistencies in the commentaries written by those Mathacharyas
and the meanings ascribed by them to the "Veda mantrams" and
Vyasa Sutrams as not correct and not adhering to the Vedas
and sent his works to Sanskrit scholars throughout India and
abroad. None of them contradicted his writings.

He
wrote more than hundred books mostly on Saiva Siddhanta establishing
the Visista Adwaitam or Sivadwaitam stated by Nilakantacharya
in his Bhashyam called Nilakanta Bhashyam, said to be the
oldest and in vogue much earlier to Sankara and Ramanuja Bhashyams.
The great Saivite scholars of south, Appayya Dikshitar and
Halasyanatha Sastry have agreed that Nilakanta Bhashyam is
the earliest and most authentic on Saiva Siddhanta in explaining
the Vedamantrams and Vyasa sutrams correctly. Sri Nagalinga
Sastry garu wrote commentary to Nilakanta Bhashyam under the
title "Siva Chintamani Prabha", following Appayya Dikshitar's
"Sivarka Mani Deepika", during 1930s in Sanskrit, covering
all the 545 Brahma Sutrams stated by Veda Vyasa. This book
was printed after his death and published by his student Sri
Mudigonda Veeresalinga Sastry garu in the year 1950. This
Sanskrit Bhashyam is now under print in Telugu, Kannada, Tamil
and Malayalam, it is hoped that this Sanskrit Nilakanta Bhashyam
is also translated into English, so that the seekers of truth,
the world over can know the "Tatwatriams" i.e. Jeeva, Jagat
and Eeswara in their true perspective.

The
achievements of Sri Nagalinga Sastry garu are many, which
may be read in the Biography printed in the books brought
out by Siva Jnana Lahari(Regd.).

In
1937 on completion of sixty years, he was honoured by the
people of Vijayawada at the Saiva Mahapeetham premises, opposite
the present Durga Kalamandir Talkies at Vijayawada and performed
Shashtyabdhi Poorthi Mahotsavam.

Between
1930 till he passed away in 1948, Sri Nagalinga Sastry garu
wrote many more articles and commentaries on Saiva Siddhanta,
which have got to be printed in book form. The Saiva Pracharini
Grandhamala, Warangal under the stewardship of Sri Mudigonda
Veeresalinga Sastry garu printed around 1929, some of them
which includes "Dharma Sangraha" containing - (i) Aahnika
Kanda running into nearly 400 pages in Sanskrit with the meanings
in Telugu, besides (ii) Varnasrama Dharma Kanda, (iii) Anthyesti
Kanda and (iv) Asoucha Kanda. The other two i.e. (v) Prayaschitta
Kanda and (vi) Dhyana Yoga Kanda appear to have not been printed.
Sri Nagalinga Sastry garu during this period wrote a detailed
commentary covering all the 545 Brahma Sutrams, following
the Srouta Saiva Siddhanta Stapaka, Jagadguru Nilakanta Bhagawatpada
Saiva Bhashyam.

Sri
Nagalinga Sastri garu propagated Saiva Siddhanta till his
last breath. The great Saivite scholar Kasinadhuni Veeresalingam
Ayyavaru of Machilipatnam paid glowing tributes to him, in
a Champakamala poem in these words.

"
He was a learned man with whom, one can discuss the sastras,
to one's satisfaction, imbibed with all good qualities, a
great poet, one who understood the essence of the vedas, one
who worshipped Siva with great Devotion, a great commentator
of the Veda Vagmayam without compromise or contradiction.
May he alone bear this Bharatiya samskruti like the thousand
hooded serpent king Sesha, bearing the weight of this entire
universe and inspire the younger generations, on Indian values
for years to come"

LIST
OF BOOKS WRITTEN BY THE AUTHOR IN SANSKRIT

1. Nilakanta
Bhashyam called as Siva Chintamani Prabha Vyakhyanam

(This
is a commentary on Nilakanta Bhashyam containing all the
545 Brahma Sutrams stating briefly -

i) The
Yadardha Swaroopam or the factual state of Jeeva and Eswara

ii) This
Jagat or this universe is as much real and existing as
God Himself and not "Midhya".

iii) The
celestial Gods Vishnu, Brahma, Indra, Vayu, Agni and Jeevatma
or not the root cause of this Universe or Jagat Karanam.

iv) The
root cause of this Universe is Brahman that is Siva only.
The words Brahman and Siva are synonyms.

v) Dismissing
the Anucaranavadam, Kshanikavadam, Nimitha Karanavadam,
Pasupatam, Jeevothpathivadam, Pancharatram, Pradanakaranam
as against what is stated in the Vedas.

vi) Explaining
all Upanishads in unison and without contradiction stating
that all of them are eulogising Siva only.

vii) Dismissing
the Soonyavadam and Nirgunavadam as Avaidikam.

viii) The
greatness of Siva, Siva Lingarchana that is taking Saiva
Deeksha or Sambhava Deeksha or Pasupatha Vratam or Pasupatha
Deeksha or Sirovratam and performing Ishta, Prana, Bhava
Lingaradhana with Bahir Lingaradhana will confer Siva
Sayujyam.

2. Brahma
Patham

3. Vyasa
Patham

4. Sivadwaita
Pada Vidhi

5. Kevaladwaita
Pratishedam

6. Vaishnava
Patha Pratishedham

7. Vedantardha
Parishkara Taraharam

8. Raksha
Rudraksha Chandra Marthandam in Nagara Lipi - This book
explains the greatness of Rudraksha.

9. Neelakantaradhya
Stotram

10. Neelakanta
Vijayam

11. Bhagavadgeeta
Bhashyam following Nilakantaradhya's commentary

LIST
OF BOOKS WRITTEN IN SASNSKRIT WITH COMMENTARY IN TELUGU

1. Saiva
Siddhanta Sangraha -- Saiva Siddhanta in brief

2. Siva
Aeva Karanam -- Siva is the root cause of this Universe.

3. Sroutamevahi
Dharanam Lingasya -- The wearing of the Linga on the body
of a person is as ordained by the Vedas.

There
are some more books and articles writen by the author clearing
various doubts or "Dharma Sandehalu" raised by the readers
and printed serially in the monthly magazines run by him on
Saiva Siddhanta till his death in 1948. Efforts are on to
bring them into book form.

"Hinduism
is a way of life, a life in which one can reach God identified
as Siva, the Ultimate Reality, Eswara, the Brahman, eulogised
in Vedas and Upanishads as such and on which lies the greatness
of India i.e. Bharata Khandam for generations to come."

(Let all people,
the world over live in peace and happiness, rolling in wealth
with full of piety and compassion towards fellow beings is
the motto of this great Hindu way of life)